Christmas Care Package drive benefits troops

by Don Steele Dodge City Daily Globe

Thursday

Nov 15, 2012 at 6:00 AM

One of Dodge City's newer holiday traditions is Skanksgiving, a concert organized by The Mishaps, a local ska band.

One of Dodge City's newer holiday traditions is Skanksgiving, a concert organized by The Mishaps, a local ska band.This year the band has teamed up with Blue Star Mothers to do a Christmas Care Package drive for the troops."We're interested in honoring the troops and also in raising awareness about the local music scene," said Alex Aldape, member of the Mishaps.The band, which bring eight local musicians together, has been playing together for two years and hosted their first Thanksgiving concert last year. Ska music is a precursor to reggae and combines elements of calypso, American jazz and rhythm and blues.The Mishaps have played in Great Bend, Garden City, Kinsley, Lawrence, Wichita and Kansas City but most of their local appearances have been at the Doctor's Office."This year, they're doing remodeling at the Doctor's Office and we thought we might need a bigger space for this concert," Aldape said.So they're moving the show to City Limits, 703 Wilroads Garden Road, and they've invited several bands to join them.A Hillsdale, Kan., band called "Mr. and the Mrs." will be on hand, as will Trevino from Garden City, a pop rock group."And we've got Alec Ross coming up from Austin to play ska and reggae between sets.Doors will open at 8 p.m., Mr. and the Mrs. will play at 9 p.m., Trevino is set for 10:30 p.m. and The Mishaps kick it off at midnight.Tickets are $5 but you can get a $2 discount by bringing an item for the Care Package drive.A long list of items approved to be sent to those serving in the military is posted on the event page at www.facebook.com/events/485410368156778/.The items are grouped into categories: food and snack items, beverage items, recreational items, personal supply items and personal care items and toiletries. The items will be collected by Blue Star Mothers and sent to the troops."We'll probably do this Care Package drive every year — I wish we'd thought of it sooner," Aldape said.The Mishaps rehearse once a week and try to play somewhere once a month."We're working new stuff in for every show, but we have to keep most of our older material to get a two-hour set together," Aldape said.The Mishaps' local fan base is diverse: a wide range of ages and types."We did a show at Central Station and there were people there two-stepping to ska — it was great," Aldape said.The band has friends and family who have served or are serving in the military. That's what prompted their interest in incorporating the Care Package drive into their concert."We have great respect for what they're doing — it just blows me away. We know the holidays are hard for those serving and their families. We hope they think it's cool to know people are thinking about them," said Ryan Keller, another member of The Mishaps.The band is hoping for a big crowd at the concert."It's more fun for us and it's more fun for them — plus it will benefit the troops," Keller said.But in the long run, the band just hope people come and have a good time."We're all Kansas musicians and we're trying to revive the music scene in this town," Aldape said.

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